The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-11
THE COST OF FINE PIANOS.
sK1PTrClsf As TO MI. WaRIUtSDs
ALLEGED s5O.OOO INVEST lkSE

ALLEGED s5O.O0O INVEST ikNE
Dealers In shss ttty Cannot NJ se a Plane
c"st Over oS,OoO-One for 10 800 .. GOOD
Enough fer DAY Gouid, ara ~ 300 Rur,
Judge hhton's-The New One IL n Daisy
The ono subject Of which piano doolcr,
and plano manufacturers aud workmon ia
piano factories have bee A talking for tho past
lew days 10 the plano said to be on It's way TO
America for Mr.. Henry @. Marquand, with Ave
nRures following the dollar mark In the In
voice thus: f46950. No such prico IN &4G.o5o
was ever paid for plano b,iore. but NO propbet
VIII venture to say that no one will ever nay 40
much again.
What do you think about such n pianop-
said reporter to an uptown music dealer.
Had you arrived at the age OF maturity be.
fore the war of the rebellion began" said the
denler. and had you been Of cynical dispo.
sition at that time. you would havc been inter.
ested, not TO say astounded. at tho large sums
OF money paid as income taxes by mon In this
town. 1t gave one noteriety to pay large in
como tax, and no one was debarred from pay.
Ing as good tax as he chose. Perhaps a piano
could be built with that sum, but 1t would hays
TO be inlaid with gold aud have the monogram
set In diamonds before the bill could honestly
cal tor half US much as that"
men Of great wealth costa'
Oldinarily from $1,000 to $4,000. Mrs. Jay
co., Gould bought one reeantly that cost s2oOO il
s s'ir, u, everything that goes to make
Pa n as ever lett me factory Of one Of the Lest
has recently purchased a plano. His cost saW0.
While judge Hiuon. another millionaire. got
%S n Ssi H for N wnos BE- Hd s
, dSss. !, T ws,, i FSi S k%sW soass:
pianos to other families il sneh people
as these had their make o. Instruments. The
worth sla n yard. where tho ordinary stun
a s,,drs Is w., worth from So 70 $40. went to the
hundred different tusks. anu so On from the
casters under the legs to the xarnish on top.
were worAed out in gold or antique metal. Or
some other expensive stuff. and when the In
cnasers there was u richness TO tile tones that
there to remain; such an instrument will last
same tones and one that will last Just as well.
,i still more expensive pianos can be made.
Ihey have been made that cost az high as
Mississippi ietsy man. had such an au ins, iae
o one thai sos, 1880. and il was On honeSt
deal Of time; fifteen months is not too much 10
t asyS to ihs hun 4, O. the case The w"d
W oOSiu may W COutu AuOTlcdH
or ,Esn.Iins. ebony. Tie case xtIl be made q
Ss most and as w Be TEsa
the carver takes. hold. and By hand
S Tsfes SS os H, ts, %CsS The
sculptor, or other ar, list ior some Beautiful de-
all they are i,ems In the cost Of piece OF ilrni-
ture rather than items properly charseable to
Docs mo-, ss
seeing i in lhs factory anishins room. had
an Hcright grand: -
than they used to be. say thirty M' per v cent.
r. ha ssf as
stramsnt would have been been worth 81 60. But
while these Instruments bsye grown cheaper.
prices than even This demand COMES a out O,
tae NECESSITY Of making the Eiano match the
Il Is usual nowadays adj Tor T the rich '1 mem
e give the house iurnisheE an order to furnish
will procure the best designs IRON the most
capable artists for every article of furniture
Grand plano In the corner blends harmoniousy
with the music rack on ono side, the picture
made sps and % sa hs S
eDonY. lnlhtQ With beaten brass, ana OF San
Domingo mahogany and ancient bronze.
Piano manufacturers. very often get orders
to furnish the inside of piano. while the
house lurnisher provides the case; That WAS
the way he pianos for the Vanderbilt mansions
were made: But with all the special designs
solid woods and the slow process Of putting
the case together and the great length OF timo
devoted to polishing. and vanishing and pol
ishlng again. never knew plano to honestly
cost more than 5000.
Every manufacturer will be glad to hear Of
this new piano ut $46.95O; so will the we'll
known painters and other artists OF the coun.
try. II we must not only have the case har-
montze with the sofa. but must have e r!cture
On the eoysr painted to match some Meissonier
on the wall overhead. the prices of Instruments
and the commissions Of middiemen Will be-
augmented and an era OF prosperity and culture
will ensue.
The prices o: WHICH have spoken are what
the descriptive circular. Many people nay
pay about one. hall. The list price is GENERALLY
about double the fair retail price. Il is, regu..
always learn this. but In the country where
agents are constantly going up and down GEEK
Ing customers the nrices usually get down to
hard pan."